From: SCHAFER AUTISM REPORT - September 3, 2003 Vol. 7 No. 179

LETTERS

* Mewsweek Coverage of Autism Inspires Strong Letters

Many of those in the past and today in the world of psychiatry and their camp followers in the world of psychology have and continue to be the number one enemy of people and their families with autism. It wasn't that long ago these psycho-babble folks brought us "Refrigerator mothers are at fault", then "autism is a rare genetic disease", and even today many in that camp continue to deny the real existence of the autism epidemic. Haven't they done enough damage already? They have failed us in the past and continue to fail us today. They need to go. Our kids do not choose this condition. It's not a psychiatric disease. It is in a growing number of cases a post birth induced condition, not too much maleness!! Giving any credibility to the work of modern day Bettleheims is just as bad as if we stood by and allowed Bettleheim and his followers to go on unchallenged. It simply is not acceptable.

We need to quickly remove autism from the ugly grasp of the shrinks and psychologists today who are truly getting in the way of progress in finding the real causes of autism, developing truly effective treatments, and yes, a cure; and, place the responsibility with finding the real biomedical causes of this disease with real researchers and medical professionals, and send these outdated and misguided people into the sunset for from blaming mothers, and coming up with stupid theories like "mind blindness" and "extreme maleness". This crack pot thinking will do nothing to find the real causes of autism, nor will it bring us real treatments and a cure for this devastating disease.

- Rick Rollens, Autism Advocate